The Seven Dwarves (D&D 4e)

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The Dwarves start behind the portcullis in area 1-16 as it enters 1-7 on the map (see below).

A portcullis blocks the way!

“Where not going back the other way.” Koda narrows down the adventurer’s options.

Tordek, Grimm and Travok get to work, the trio either smash at the structure with their hammers and axes, or else strain and struggle to lift the thing, or else pull it apart.

It takes an hour.

And a lot of very bad dice rolls.

A very noisy hour at that but the guys eventually get it done; the portcullis, or what’s left of it, is hoisted into the air, held open as the Dwarves pass under, and then allowed to crash down behind them.

The adventurers move forward into a massive water-filled chamber, to the west comes the sound of roaring water; they’re above the falls back at the entrance to the hold.

The guys stick to the left hand wall, and lead by Ragnarr once more, edge around the outside of the cavern- attempting as best they can not to get in to any deep water, they fail once or twice but manage in the end to make their way around to an area which is flagged, constructed- no longer a rocky cavern.

The Dwarves work their way around to the south of area 1-6 on the map (see below).

The guys explore further…

“That’s the ledge…” Fenchurch states and points up, “… at the end of the water trap- that long corridor.” And so it is, however…

“Fellers.” Koda calls over.

The Monk has made his way back out into the huge water-filled chamber, this time hugging the eastern wall of the cavern, and on to a raised area- the base of a statue, some thirty feet tall, another Dwarf.

Koda climbs a little way up, just so he can get a look at the things face- another tentacle-bearded dwarf-monstrosity, looking even more nasty than the fellow in the defiled temple, the statue that spewed fire.

“I think there’s a bunch more of them…” Koda points on, along the eastern wall of the cavern, another base is visible a little way further in.

“I’ll just…” Koda gets a good run up and then leaps to the base of the next statue, another foul looking dwarf with the horns of a demon or a devil, this one’s wearing robes- again it’s nearly thirty feet tall.

The statues are briefly discussed, Grimm tales a tale about the Septarch, the seven dark Dwarven lords, gods of a sort- worshiped by some of the less evolved Dwarven holds, briefly the players discuss the probabilities of their being seven light (good) Dwarven lords- gods of their nation. It’s at this point that the guys determine that the name of their adventuring party will be ‘The Seven Dwarves’, their task to seek out and destroy the Septarch, and all who worship them, the guys are aiming to be godslayers, as far as ambitions go its got legs…

History lesson over Ragnarr is cajoled into action, the Rogue is made to climb the thirty or so feet up and onto the ledge (the end of area 1-6). Soon after the other Dwarves have made their way up- the group stroll back to the entrance of the hold.

“Is that it?” Koda asks.
“I think so.” Tordek answers.
“But we’ve not found the forge?” Berend states.
“There’s always that secret door, back in the wizard’s chamber- the circular room with the bear…”

The adventurers stop to think, as do the players- have they finished here, they decide to head back in- one last task, check out the secret door.

The secret door in 1-20a, back where the guys fought Ivinrix the Mad, his Cave Bear and Goblin Slaves (see below).

The task turns out to be much more complex than they imagined, the door- like the seal needs to be drawn out using the stone drill and the pulley system, it takes another two hours (and a minor skill challenge) to get the thing done.

Beyond a wide set of stairs lead down in to darkness, the Dwarves descend…